TUT-tally Awesome: How to Incorporate Time Under Tension Into Your Workouts
TL:DR: TUT is the amount of time a muscle works during a set and can increase muscle hypertrophy, strength gains, and muscular endurance. Different types of resistance training affect TUT, and adjusting TUT to suit your fitness goals and preferences is essential.Are you ignoring the most critical factor for achieving your fitness goals? I'm talking about time under tension, but don't worry; I'm here to break it down.
What is time under tension? It's the amount of time a muscle works during a set, and it plays a crucial role in achieving fitness goals. Research shows that incorporating TUT into your workouts can increase muscle hypertrophy, strength gains, and improved muscular endurance.
Different types of resistance training can affect TUT. For example, lifting heavy weights with low reps will result in shorter TUT than lifting lighter weights with higher reps. Adjusting TUT to suit your fitness goals and preferences is essential. For example, if you want to focus on building muscle mass, you'll need to increase TUT to promote muscle hypertrophy.
The first number in a TUT sequence represents the eccentric or negative phase of the lift. It's the time in seconds that it takes to lower the weight after reaching the top of the lift. This phase is opposite to the direction of muscle contraction.
The second number represents the pause between the eccentric and concentric phases of the lift. It's the time in seconds that the weight is at its lowest position, and it's important for maintaining tension in the muscle.
The third number represents the concentric or contraction phase of the lift. It's the time in seconds for lifting the weight. Sometimes, it may be represented by an "X" may represent it, indicating an explosive lift.
The fourth number represents the pause duration at the top of the lift. This pause is important for muscle building, as it holds tension during the contraction phase. For example, in a lateral raise, the deltoid muscles are fully contracted at this point, so holding the tension longer can produce improved hypertrophic results.
Now that you know what the numbers mean, let's discuss the benefits of incorporating TUT into your workouts. Adjusting TUT can promote muscle hypertrophy, strength gains, and muscular endurance. Experimenting with TUT and finding what works best for you is essential.
You can use a metronome or count reps to implement TUT into your workouts. For example, if you're doing a bicep curl, you could use a 3-0-2-1 sequence, which means lowering the weight for 3 seconds, pausing for 0 seconds, lifting the weight for 2 seconds, and pausing for 1 second at the top of the lift.
Understanding time under tension is crucial for achieving your fitness goals. By incorporating TUT into your workouts and adjusting it to suit your needs, you can promote muscle hypertrophy, strength gains, and improved muscular endurance. So, what are you waiting for? Start incorporating TUT into your workouts today and see the results for yourself. And remember slow and steady wins the race, so don't rush those eccentric phases. Trust me; your muscles will thank you for it.
